Loose leaf binder



Sept, 7, 1937. P. o. UNGER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Aug. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet} FIG. 2

FIG' 3 INVENTOR PAUL O. UNGER FIG. 6

ATTORNEY Sept. 7, 1937. P. o. UNGER LOOSE} LEAF BINDER Filed Aug. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY FIG. 4

Patented Sept. 7, 1937 'iD STTES PATENT OFFIQE son-Jones Company, tron of Massachusetts Application August 26,

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a loose leaf binder of the record book type, and particularly to means for aligning the ends of the sheet retaining posts with the pintles which hold the posts in the binder.

It is an object of this invention to provide simple and efiicient means for positively engaging the sheet retaining posts near each end to hold them in predetermined position so that the pintle slides may be easily moved to their post engaging position. It is a further object of this invention to provide post aligning means that may be assembled with the binder at a minimum of expense. It is a further object of this invention to provide post aligning means that will not detract from the appearance of the binder and will not readily get out of order. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the binder shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but taken. at another place .and showing the binder in closed position;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the back of the binder with parts broken away to facilitate proper illustration of the structure;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the binder with parts broken away to facilitate proper illustration of the structure; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective detail view of the post aligning structure of the binder.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a back member to opposite sides of which cover members 3 are hinged, as indicated at d. The cover members 3 are preferably formed of light wood, such as balsam, but may be formed of binders board or any similar material. The cover members 3 are provided with a covering 5 of leather or similar material to enhance the appearance of the finished book. The cover members 3 are secured to the hinges 4 by means of hinge plates ii which are provided with a plurality of prong members 1 adapted to project into the cover members 3. The hinge plates ii are depressed adjacent the hinges 5., as indicated at 8, to allow additional clearance for the sheet retaining structure. The depressed portions 8 of the hinge plates are each provided with one undepressed area 9 from which a projection Iil is raised. The member It projects from the unde- Chicago, 111., a corpora- 1935, Serial No. 37,852

pressed area 9 both vertically and laterally for a purpose hereinafter described.

The back member 2 includes a rounded back section I l and a substantially fiat plate member [2 having its opposite longitudinal edges secured to the hinges 4. The plate member l2 adds rigidity to the back member and serves as a support upon which the inner edges of the sheets [3 rest. The back section II is provided with a covering of leather or other suitable material, as indicated at H, to harmonize with the covering material 5.

A tubular sheath I4 is secured to the back plate adjacent each hinge by means of a flange [5. The back plate i2 is depressed along its longitudinal edges, as indicated at l6, so that the exposed surface of the flange I5 is flush with the corresponding surface of the back plate I2. Each tubular sheath I4 is notched, as indicated at H, in a plurality of predetermined positions. The notches ll are each adapted to receive one end of any sheet retaining post l8 upon which the sheets [3 may be impaled. A pintle slide I9 is slidably mounted in each tubular sheath. One end of the sheath I4 is closed, as indicated at 20, to: prevent access to the pintle slide from thatend.

A tension spring 2|, having one end secured to a pin 22 fixed adjacent the closed end of the tubular sheath l4 and its other end secured to the inner end 23 of the pintle slide, exerts a constant force urging the pintle slide inwardly. Each pintle slide if! is provided with a plurality of pintles 25 adapted to bridge the notches I! when the pintle slide I9 is in its normal innermost or closed position. The inward movement of the pintle slides I9 is limited by means of the handles 25 which facilitate opening or outward movement of the pintle slides against the action of the springs 2!. The handles 25 are removably secured to the pintle slides by means of screws 26.

The sheet retaining posts l8 are apertured at each end, as indicated at 2?, so that when either end of any post H3 is properly positioned in any notch i'l, one pintle 24 will pass through the aperture to secure the post to the binder when the proper pintle slide is moved inwardly. When the pintle slide I9 is pulled outwardly against the action of the spring 2! a distance sufficient to disengage the pintles 24 from the apertures 27, the pintle slide is automatically held against accidental return to closed position upon release of the handle 25.

The mechanism for holding the pintle slide l9 includes a stirrup 23 which embraces the pintle slide. The pintle slide is provided on its underside with a notch 29 of approximately the same width as the stirrup. The sheath is also notched, as indicated at 36, to permit movement of the stirrup in a vertical direction as seen in Figure 4. A spring 3| exerts constant pressure against the underside of the stirrup 28, sothat as soon as the pintle slide is pulled outwardly a distance sufiicient to cause the notch 29 to be aligned with the stirrup 28, the stirrup is automatically moved upward into engagement with the notch 29.

The pintle slide may be moved to closed position by moving the stirrup 28 downwardly against the action of the spring 3 i. As soon as the stirrup 28 is disengaged from the notch 29, the spring 2! automatically propels the pintle slide inwardly to closed position. The projection it is adapted to engage the stirrup 28 to move it out of engagement with the notch 29 when the cover is closed,

so that no action, other than merely closing the.

covers of the binder, is necessary to move the pintle slides to closed position.

It will be obvious that when the pintle slides are propelled inwardly automatically upon closing the covers of a binder the apertures 2i in the ends of the sheet retaining posts must be properly aligned with the pintles to provide an efficient binder. In its preferred form my post aligning means includes a resilient strip 32 having a plurality of hinge sleeves 33 curled from integral extensions projecting from one edge of the strip 32. The hinge sleeves 33 fit in and form part of the hinge l.

Each strip 32 is positioned between the sheath It and the corresponding adjacent cover 3 and is provided with a longitudinally extending rib i adapted to engage the ends of the sheet retaining posts. The edge of the strip adjacent the longitudinal rib 34 is curved outwardly, as indicated at 35, to facilitate movement of the ends of the sheet retaining posts into engagement with the rib 34. The strip 32 is provided with a notch 36 registering with the stirrup 28 so that the strip does not interfere with the interengagement of the stirrup 28 and the projection M. The strip 32 extends the full length of the binder and presents a very neat and attractive appearance when the binder is opened. The full length strip also minimizes the possibility of mutilation of the post aligning means.

A plurality of individual spring members t'l are welded or riveted to the strip 32. The spring members Bl are curved so that the inner end of each spring member bears against the back plate l2 at a point 38 spaced from the hinge Q. The spring members 37 cooperate with the strip 32 to impart a relatively stiff spring action to the strip to hold it in contact with the ends of the sheet retaining posts. The spring action is sufficiently strong so that if an attempt is made to push any post too far through any of the notches il in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the sheath, the strip 32 which is positioned adjacent the sheath l and closes one side of each of the notches serves as a stop to restrict the movement of the post. As shown in Figure 4, the spring members 3'! are arranged in staggered relationship so that they will not overlap in binders of small capacity. The springs 37 are secured to the strip 32 before the strip is assembled with the binder. The strips 32, as illustrated in-Figure 6, may be carried in stock as units, and may be assembled with any binder for which they are designed regardless of the capacity of the binder. The units are interchangeable so that it is not necessary to pick a right and a left to assemble two units in a binder.

When the sheet retaining posts are properly aligned and either binder cover is closed, the pintle slide l9 adjacent that cover will be in its normal innermost position and the pintles 26 will extend entirely through the apertures 2'! and slightly beyond the limits of the notches ll so as to provide maximum resistance to displacement of the sheet contents of the binder. When the handle 25 is removed, the pintle slide [9 is capable of a slight movement inwardly beyond its normal innermost position. As seen in Figure 5, this slight additional movement of the slide enables a spring 39 to snap into a notch 48 provided in the under surface of the pintle slide is. Since the spring 38 is not accessible when the binder is closed, the engagement of the spring 39 with the notch ll] permanently locks the binder against subsequent opening. The spring 39 is preferably integral with the spring M, as shown in Figure 5, and both springs are secured to the back plate if by means of a pair of straps or loops 4! riveted or welded to the back plate.

Although I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, inasmuch as many structural details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described, except as limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder of the type wherein a pintle member is adapted to engage posts to retain sheets in the binder, a pair of resilient strips extending substantially the entire length of the binder and adapted to engage corresponding ends of the posts to facilitate proper engagement'of the pintle member with the posts.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a back plate, a pair of tubular sheaths extending along the edges of said back plate, a pintle member mounted in each of said sheaths, a plurality of sheet retaining posts adapted to be secured to said sheaths by said pintle members, and a resilient strip extending along each of said sheaths, each of said resilient strips being adapted to engage corresponding ends of said sheet retaining posts to facilitate proper positioning of said sheet retaining posts with respect to said pintle members.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a plurality of sheet retaining posts, a pintle sheath provided with a plurality of notches to receive corresponding ends of all of said sheet retaining posts, and a resilient strip extending along one wall of said sheath, said resilient strip being adapted to engage corresponding ends of said sheet retaining posts to facilitate the positioning of said posts in said notches.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a tubular sheath secured adjacent one edge of said back member, a plurality of sheet retaining posts, said sheath having a plurality of notches each adapted to receive one end of one of said posts, and a strip secured adjacent said sheath so as to close one side of each of said notches, said strip being adapted to engage corresponding ends of said sheet retaining posts to facilitate proper positioning of said sheet retaining posts in said notches.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a tubular sheath secured adjacent one edge of said back member, a plurality of sheet retaining posts, said sheath having a plurality of notches each adapted to receive one end of one of said posts, and a strip hinged to said back member so as to lie adjacent said sheath to close one side of each of said notches, said strip being provided with a longitudinally extending rib adapted to engage corresponding ends of said sheet retaining posts to facilitate proper positioning of the ends of said sheet retaining posts in said notches.

6. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a tubular sheath secured adjacent one edge of said back member, a sheet retaining post, said sheath having a notch adapted to receive one end of said post, a post aligning member positioned adjacent one wall of said sheath so as to close one side of said notch, said post aligning member being adapted to engage one end of said post, and a spring member secured to said post aligning member to cooperate with said back member and said post aligning member in facilitating the proper positioning of said post in said notch.

'7. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a cover member, a hinge connecting said cover member to said back member, a tubular sheath secured adjacent one edge of said back member, a sheet retaining post, said sheath being notched to receive one end of said post, and a resilient member carried by said hinge and positioned adjacent one wall of said sheath, said resilient member being adapted toengage one end of said post to facilitate proper positioning of said sheet retaining post in said notch.

8. In combination with a loose leaf binder having a notched sheath and a plurality of sheet retaining posts adapted to be secured to the binder by means of a pintle slide mounted in said sheath, a resilient strip secured adjacent said sheath and adapted to facilitate the proper positioning of said posts, said strip being provided with a substantially continuous longitudinally extending rib adapted to engage the corresponding ends of said posts.

9. In a loose leaf binder, a plurality of sheet retaining posts, a tubular sheath provided with a plurality of notches to receive corresponding ends of all of said sheet retaining posts, a resilient strip hinged adjacent one wall of said sheath, and means urging said resilient strip against said sheath, said strip being adapted to engage corresponding ends of said sheet retaining posts to facilitate the proper positioning of said posts in said notches.

10. In a loose leaf binder, a back plate, a tubular sheath secured adjacent one edge of said back plate, a sheet retaining post, said sheath having a notch adapted to receive one end of. said post, a resilient member positioned adjacent one Wall of said sheath, and a spring member forcing said resilient member against said sheath so as to close one side of said notch to restrict the insertion of said post end in said notch in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said sheath.

11. In a loose leaf binder, a back plate, a sheath secured adjacent one edge of said back plate, a sheet retaining post, means to secure said sheet retaining post to said sheath, means positioned adjacent said sheath to facilitate securement of said post to said sheath, and a spring having one end bearing against said back plate and its other end bearing against said last mentioned means to hold said last mentioned means against said sheath.

12. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a sheet retaining post, a notched tubular sheath secured to said back member and adapted to receive one end of said post, a pintle mounted in said sheath and adapted to secure said post to said sheath, a resilient member adapted to engage the end of said post to facilitate proper engagement of said post with said intle, and a spring member exerting constant force to urge said resilient member against said sheath.

13. In a loose leaf binder, a back plate, a cover member, a hinge connecting said cover member to said back plate, a tubular sheath secured adjacent one edge of. said back plate, a sheet retaining post, means to secure said sheet retaining post to said sheath, means carried by said hinge to facilitate securement of said post to said sheath, and a spring member exerting constant force to urge said last mentioned means against said sheath.

14. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a cover member, a hinge connecting said cover member to said back member, a tubular sheath secured adjacent one edge of said back member, a sheet retaining post, said sheath being provided with a notch adapted to receive one end of said sheet retaining post, a resilient member carried by said hinge, and a spring member urging said resilient member against the notched portion of said sheath, said resilient member being adapted to engage one end of said sheet retaining post to facilitate the proper positioning of said sheet retaining post in said notch.

PAUL O. UNGER. 

